The vast majority of calls the local fire department responds to aren’t fires – they’re medical emergencies – and the fire service industry as a whole is looking for ways to help people that don’t require the costly dispatch of a sirens-blaring fire engine.

Enter the “CMT car.” It rolled out Feb. 1, and South King Fire and Rescue officials said it will be on the roads of Federal Way and the surrounding cities seven days per week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The CMT car, its acronym standing for “Community Medical Technician,” is an SUV carrying two firefighters/EMTs and a full complement of medical equipment that will respond to non-emergency 911 calls for help. The CMT crew will provide medical attention and get patients connected to social services or make contact with health care providers, letting the on-scene firefighters spend more time with a patient than a fire engine crew usually can.

The vehicle is part of a two-year pilot program funded by a grant from King County. The grant covers 50 percent of the pilot’s cost with the remainder paid by South King Fire and Rescue and Valley Regional Fire Authority, the latter of which provides fire services for Auburn.